Doc Martin – Textual Analysis

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Camerawork:

  • There are long, lingering shots of the country side to emphasise the scenery.
  • There is a lot of contrast between Doc Martin and the locals; where he is a bit stressed and rushes around a lot, the locals are calmer and more relaxed, which is showed when the camera follows him, rushing like him, whereas the shots of the locals are relaxed, slower, and their shots are much longer.
  • A hand held shot is used when Doc Martin panics, the camera shakes a bit, whereas the locals are calmer.

Editing:

  • Doc Martin also has the most screen time, which establishes him as the main character against the locals.
  • A filter is used on Doc Martin to make him look paler, to contrast with the healthy, country-looking locals, which highlights the fact he is from the city.
  • Doc Martin has lots of reaction shots, showing how he is so used to the city life and not used the countryside lifestyle.
  • When he is angry, the shots are faster, which shows his impatience and short temper, whereas the locals are calmer about all the things he is getting stressed about and their shots are long and slow paced.

Sound:

  • Some of the diegetic sounds have been emphasised, such as the seagulls, to highlight the setting and the contrast against Doc Martin’s impatience and city ways.
  • Doc Martin’s voice is much louder than the others, making him clearly the odd one out. His voice is dominant, and he stands out from the locals as a city man.

Mise-en-scene:

  • 11329_113036_DOC_MARTIN_EP8_08Doc Martin is in a navy suit and tie, clearly dressed for the city, whereas the locals are all in more regionally appropriate clothing. His suit represents his inside office job, whereas the locals wear more ‘earthy’ colours such as greens and browns. His suit contrasts against the other characters and the scenery to highlight where he is from.
  • The room that Doc Martin is staying in is very dark and gloomy, matching his mood and character, whereas the outside is much brighter, matching the moods of the other characters.
  • One of the plumbers is really relaxed about how he is eating his food and the way he is talking to the other characters in the scene, displaying his relaxed approach in the village as he is totally at home.
  • Doc Martin speaks in a more well-spoken voice as opposed to the dialect of the locals, which establishes him as ‘different’ and possibly better educated.